National Festival 2011

I meant to write this post on the 28th of June when we were getting ready for Festival. This was the last chance I had to take photo's because we were running the whole time. I need to write a report and it is difficult to recall what kept us so busy. We is me, Rita Loubser and my daughter Hedwig.

Although Rita's portfolio was Stores and Needs she also took responsibility for the Goodie bags. The Goodie bags was filled with treasures. A velvet bag with a hole was turned into a beautiful Crazy patch kit with embroidery floss- that she and helpers create from special "trimmings" and beads that were also parceled in interesting combinations. This took several weeks before the rest of the pre-packing of the contents of the bags could began.

Crazypatch kits

Rita was also the driving force and designer of the quilters journal. This is an inspiring journal with calender pages but also white paper and graph paper to draw designs. Photo's of quilts and quilting tips are also spread through the journal.

It took a day to get all the tables in the classrooms. Here we had the help of the school's very willing and able workers.

Alta Wagenaar is an organiser par excellance! without her help the preparations would have been very stressful and tiring. (I cannot get the photo of Alta in the correct orientation and cannot picture her sideways-she seldom sit, so laying her on her side will not do!).

On the second day we tape plastic waste bags to the sewing stations, lay multi-plugs and leads in every room and took irons and ironing boards to all the classrooms.

In spite of the fact that we had many signs all over the school, delegates would stop to ask where the toilets are while standing in front of a sign. Throughout the Festival we created more signs. Signs to arrange the traffic and make sure that the correct exit route was followed, had to be increased everyday to hopefully make it visible and noticeable by all.

Then we finally packed all the bags with the crazy patch kits and pre packed plasic bags. It was a whole colourful heap calling our theme: Alive with colour, in all its glory.

The cafeteria was ready to recieve all the visitors and Pat Mostert our treasurer's quilts was displayed to make sure that visitors enjoy quilts everywhere.

Pat, in the purple is worried about our finances!

The Good Hope Quilters Guild's email and website boffin, Karen Nicole got a special hairdo for Festival.

Marijke Weitzs was responsible for advertising the show and was so successful that the crowds the show drawn make it difficult to have a good look at all the quilts. Here she is at the registration table where she spend the week to help any one with registration or other problems.

The trainee judges had a last opportunity to hone their skills.

It was exciting to walk through the hall while the quilts were hung. Every time there was more quilts up and in the three days of preparation we could enjoy the quilts little by little. We were so busy during Festival that this bit was almost the only real view we had of the show. We got up early on the day that they were to break up the show and have a private view from 6 o'clock in the morning- real quilt addicts, me and Rita!

My quilt side ways

Our Chair lady Wanda Carmichael and Ina Meyer the Hostel Queen are discussing last minute details.

Simmy Schofield, GHQG President was the Vendor's liason for Festival and is busy getting everything ready for the Vendors to have a profitable Festival.

Now we all look back on two weeks of hard work but it was worth the effort we put in and enjoyed by many. We surely achieve the goal to introduce quilting to a big audience and provide further development to quilters. Our teachers was wonderful. We had two international teachers: Ineke Berlyn of UK and Pam Holland (check her website for more Festival photos) from Australia. Their classes introduce new and exciting methods and open a world of possibilities to local quilters.

The Farm- two weeks later

We had a little bit of rain in the week and yesterday we had a few good showers of rain. It is cold and windy outside- but we do not complain- we need winter now. Yesterday the little bit of green that I could show you two weeks ago, was destroyed with this freshly planted land in the distance.

The little green patch that go diagonally to the right is the "wenakker". That is the piece that get planted last- it "fall" out with turning and are then planted in one go, at the end. The rain stopped them before they could get to it and they will hopefully be able to finish up there on Monday- before the heavy rains that was predicted, show up.

I did not have a very productive week quilting wise except for working a bit on this quilt started 5 years ago at National Festival-Durban in a class of Priscilla Bianci . We worked with Guatemalan fabrics. This was quite a process- It is a thick and loosely woven fabric. I combined it with cottons to prevent to much thickness and pressed it very well with a lot of starch to prevent unraveling and get it as flat as possible.

Dowel sticks for even tension on the sides.

It is loaded on my Bernina frame. I knew I would never be able to buy a big Gammill longarm and so as second best I purchased the Bernina Frame and the 830 Bernina (If I want to use the embroidery facilities). I love this set-up more and more each day. If I see the trouble Sharon Schamber take to get her work area small and taut- I believe that this just might be more ideal than a long arm. Sharon advise that the sides should be under even tension and not distorted with the side clamps. See her advise with her free video's.

The only drawback with the Bernina is visibility but if I sit on my draughtsman chair- I am comfortable and can see quite well. I concentrate to work a bit slower and more precise.

Although I have draw freehand some feathers, I did not follow the drawing- I basically do it to get the feel and the direction right.

We are getting ready for National Quilt Festival that will be from 1-7 July in Stellenbosch. We specially look forward to welcome Ineke Berlyn and Pam Holland as our overseas teachers.

I will check your blogs to see what you have been up to this week!